Well isn't that just sweet!

L

Levitation

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 12, 2009
Messages
1,300
Fluid Motion Model
C-248 C
Hull Identification Number
fmlt2510f809
Vessel Name
Charlotte Ann
I go to the web site of the manufacturer of my 2 1/2 year old boat and what greets my eyes?
The information that the boat model on which I have spent way over a hundred grand is now OBSOLETE!
The manufacturer thinks so little of it that he no longer wishes to build them...
And this is supposed to make me feel good - supportive - happy - how?
 
change happens..."resistance is futile"
Just because a model is no longer in production, doesn't mean it's obsolete...It's just no longer in production.
Soon, if you want to sell it. you can list it as, " the very desirable, rare, large interior, R-25 Classic ".

Imagine how I feel...they stopped making the R-21 in 2005-6.. now I'm "stuck" with the factory only making the R21ec, R-25sc, R-27, R-29, Cutwater26, Cutwater 28,...Thing is, I didn't want the extra "stuff" or larger cabin when I bought my boat. I had to find my Classic by price/condition from the limited selection of that model available at the time I was looking.

Nice thing about boats, they don't always loose value when a model is superceded...often they even increase in value (ask an owner of an Albin 25 or the Carver 28 Riviera)

If you want to see how I've envisioned future Rangers could look check out my gallery in the album "possibilities?". Yes I've got too much time on my hands...but like it better better than playing on-line games.
 
I'm still lurking at the margins, but we are still very interested in purchasing a tug in the near future. When that time comes, I can tell you without a doubt, it will be an "old style" R-25. For Michele and I, the larger interior far outweighs the larger cockpit of the new SC-25.

I don't know if that makes you feel way better, but less that two years after I purchased Blue Moon, it too underwent a significant production change with many improvements. As I see it, my boat is the "old school" traditional British style, with hand laid construction.

Bill

Eclectic Wonders, uncommon art, www.eclecticwonders.com
 
There is plenty of market for the Ranger 25--and some desirable features. True there have been mutiple power plants during the last few years. But the builder is still in business and owned by the same people--something which cannot be said for a large number of boating companies.

More power to the company to make new and improved models--the decision to go to a 27 and keep the 25 SC--I think is a logical on.

The down side, is that all boat prices may have fallen a bit during the last few years--but some folks have already taken advantage of that when they pruchased a used boat...!
 
Denny-o,

I bought my R25 several months ago after I learned (from Tugnuts rumors confirmed by Mark Mansfield at a boat show) that the R25 was slated to be replaced by the R25sc. The issue was further complicated by the fact that there were both R25sc and R25 models made in the 2010 year. Weirdly, the sc was listed $10k less then the standard R25 which should make your R25 a little more valuable against the R25sc. Anyway, my point here is that I "chose" the larger cabin R25 over the R25sc on purpose, just as others on this web site have noted, because of its advantages. IMHO you can't get into the cave to grab stuff any less try to sleep in there, nor use the kitchen with the stove literally one inch away from the sink, etc. in the R25sc. Who wants more than two people in the cockpit of a 25 foot boat anyway? Its the perfect excuse to "go to other people's boats" for drinks and dinner!

True it would be nice to get the engine out of the cabin, but that is the only benefit I can see to the "sport cockpit." Who in the world who goes into boating wants to do sports anyway, at least beyond the 8 ounce curl! I bragged to my wife when the manual to my 800cc Susuki "welcomed" me to the "sport" of motorcycling! She was not impressed. A final note is that getting a "left-over" and "obsolete" R25 allowed me into the Ranger Tug world. For what's its worth I actually think Ranger made a rare mistake by replacing the R25 with the sc model.

The good news: Go to one of the boat shows and get on an R25sc and I'll bet ya a dolla that you'll come home please you got the ole R25 before they were gone forever. This happened to me, and since I know you are of equally good taste in all things, I bet you'll feel pleasantly surprised you are into an R25 once you actually smell, feel and taste an R25sc.
Jerry

PS. denny, I sent Jeff at Marinebeam copies of your TugNuts posts as he can't remember your talks about the cockpit lights in the R25. He just emailed me as he can't recall the application for the cockpit lights and I can't tell him much as I did not get "into" the housing of the lights and hence can't describe what we need. You on the other hand could describe exactly what he needs to make up and for what application. Could you give him a call again (1-888-368-5215) to remind him? Thanks, we're all depending on you! (Sorry to be off topic)
 
How many cars have you owned? I am stil ticked off that Studebaker stopped making the Hawks. But I have owned 31 other cars since then and all but the last 3 are out of production now.

There isn't much on, or in, a boat that isn't available at a good marine supplier. A truly competent yard can do almost anything to the hull and other unique parts of the boat that is necessary to keep it afloat for a couple generations (if it was designed and built properly in the first place).

Our Crealock 37 had a 45 foot houseboat on the foredeck and a 35 foot sportfish grinding alongside it during Hurricane Opal. (Our lines held all three.) When it left Embree Marine in St. Pete several months later, the boat could not be picked out of a line of new ones except that the hull was even fairer than when it left the factory.
 
How cool is that. Our 2 1/2 year old boat is a classic! Glad we got in when we did. Not sure how I feel about getting old, but I think I like being "old school".

Cheers.
 
I believe there are two models of the Ranger 25; the R25 SC (sport cockpit) and the R25 LE (limited edition). We continue to be very happy with our R-25 LE
 
LE, baby!
 
The larger cabin on the original R25 makes it more valuable, not less, since you can't get that size cockpit in a 25 foot Ranger Tug anymore. To get the same size cabin today you need to buy an R27! Sure the cockpit is a little smaller then a R25SC but we have never had an issue with it and tend to spend the majority of our time inside anyway when travelling.

Look at it this way, Ranger has just increased the resale value of your R25 because people will compare the R27 cost with the cost of an original R25 when they want the larger cabin.

In point of fact, the original R25 was so successful that Ranger decided it needed to create a range of models based on it. How can you not feel good about that?
 
humph!

Well, I partly did it to myself... I was one that pushed Andrew to tell Jeff he needed to stretch the transom 18 inches on the 25... But they only followed part of my suggestion - which was to offer the extended "25" with a price increase reflecting only the additional fiberglass at the stern (not a whole lot of extra fiberglass, parts, or labor) They chose to make other so called improvements with a significant jump in price...
I would have left the engine where it was (or moved it only 3 inches back for some wrench room at the front of the engine) giving a longer drive shaft and a flatter shaft angle to improve prop efficiency...

On bulbs - jeez Jeff is awful young to have Al-whats-his-name's disease... Ya, I will give him a call if he can remember what a phone is for...
 
For those desiring a "new" R25, you should check with Wefings Marine in Apalachicola, FL. The last time I checked they had a new 2009 R25 for about $119,900, a 2010 R25 for $137,999. Plus another 2010 slightly used R25 for $135,000. And, if one wants a R25SC, they have one of those, too. I've lusted after that Lauren Green 2010 R25 for a year and the R25SC since I saw it. 🙁

I wouldn't worry about a model being discontinued. If the vessel is an exceptional one, market demand will remain high. S2 produced a line of sailboats in the late 1970s/early 1980s that were high quality, excellent performing boats. Of course, that market faded after a few years. However, one could still get parts from the factory. The company then returned to making power boats, Tiara. They initially made power boats called Slicksomething or the other. When a hurricane wiped out the fleet at Lake Norman, NC, the factory made another run of S2 7.9s to rebuild the fleet. In the early 1990s, because of demand, they made another production run. Even today, some 30 years later the S2 7.9 is in heavy demand. And, the last I heard, one could still get limited support/parts from the factory.

Outside supplier parts can be obtained from them. Substitute parts are generally available. And, a good boatyard can usually take care of the rest. The important thing is that the vesssel be a good one, quality is always recognized in the market place. 🙂

Gene
 
The R25 is a great boat! Please understand that we will always look for ways to improve our boats. This is who we are. I am also available at anytime to any of our customers either by e-mail or by phone.

Ranger Jeff
 
I can state, based on support we received just last week from Ranger Tugs, that they still continue to provide us fantastic service even though we bought our R25 in 2007 (hull #7). If you think that Ranger will drop you just because they changed production models you have another thing coming. R25s were changed almost every hull number. I can tell you that the last 'classic' R25 had a lot of differences when compared to our 'original' R25. It's not that the manufacturer thinks so little of it that he no longer wishes to build them. It's that the manufacturer thought so much of the boat they based a whole line of boats off of them!
 
I have had dealings with manufacturers of products I have bought over the years and without a doubt, Ranger Tugs offers, by far, the best support I have ever experienced. I would never hesitate to buy one of their out of production products as I know they would be there to offer assistance if I would ever need it.
Nellie Too
Bob
 
I have to add my thoughts here also. I normally don't, but here goes. I have owned four other boats before we decided on the R-25 Full Cabin. With the other boats and engines, I was forgotten about before I cleared the sales lots. Ranger Tugs and all of the sales staff, employees, and associates, be they vendors, or in house have bent over backwards to assist and help me with whatever "problem of the day" I am having, or had. Andrew, Jeff, Howard, the Livingstons, and others to many to name are down to earth people and will drop what ever they are doing to help a tug owner or prospective buyer out. I cannot say the same thing for other boat dealerships. You will not be forgotten or left hanging. They do what ever it takes to make their customers happy.
Randy & Ida
R-25 "Adventurer"
Anacortes, WA
 
I'll add my 2 cents on the Ranger Tug team's support to discontinued models. A little over a year ago, we bought a 2007 R25 trade-in w/ the 110 Yanmar from the dealership. So I guess we own one of the original limited editions. Since then, I've received friendly, willing and responsive support on everything from wiring harness questions to assistance on bleeding the hydralic steering system. I continue to bounce ideas off their team on packing bearings and macerator pumps and get rapid, thoughtful advice from Andrew and Ken and others. Even had Jeff tell me once to publish any complaints on Tugnuts if the support wasn't there. Pretty confident it'll continue despite my model and year and yankee trader attitude.
 
The original R-25 can't be beat! Who would scoff at 1.5 gph? Who could complain about getting in and out of every little harbor, lagoon and mud puddle in the south sound? We are going to have to sell our favorite boat of all time soon, but we couldn't be happier to recommend Andrew, Jeff, John, Dave, Jim, Richard, and Kenny. They have been SUPER supportive to us. If you have a friend who wants a classic that has been kept in more than tip top shape watch for the upcoming ads for "HARBOR RANGER".
 
Thanks for the plug Gene . We do have a great selection of R 25s . Cummins powered and Yanmar By powered , new and used and at great prices . Nobody has a better selection than us .
Marc
 
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